SHILLONG, April 30: As countless attempts have failed to materialise a solution to the long-standing interstate border row between Meghalaya and Assam, cabinet minister and general secretary of the HSPDP, Renikton L Tongkhar, has now suggested the state government to take up the issue with its counterpart as soon as the results of the Assam assembly elections are declared on May 2.
“I have requested the chief minister that we should take this matter once the new government comes in Assam,” said Tongkhar, who is the PHE Minister in the NPP-led MDA government.
Stating that all efforts to solve the boundary dispute has turned futile, he said, “We are concerned that it remains unsolved and we cannot blame anybody as our forefathers have done their best and we are also doing whatever we can”.
Fresh instances of trouble along some parts of Assam-Meghalaya border recently came to light with the latest incident being reported from Umbah village of West Khasi Hills, where as many as 17 members from Assam Police and officials from Forest department allegedly entered the village and destroyed houses of locals. Following this, Meghalaya Police deployed additional force along the interstate border to avert any untoward situation.
It is also worth recalling that in the last session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had informed that 106 incidents of border disputes between Meghalaya and Assam were reported from 2018 till February 26, 2021.
On the sidelines, the HSPDP general secretary also emphasised that Meghalaya needs to excel in all spheres when it attains 50 years of statehood.
Tongkhar said that Meghalaya is not lagging behind when it comes to Northeastern states, and that, save Assam, Meghalaya is one of the best states.
“I have travelled to most of the Northeastern states and I dare to claim Meghalaya is one of the most developed states in the region,” Tongkhar said.
